Understanding Push-Pull mechanism

[Alex Turcios]

Hi, it is me again 🙂

I am having trouble understanding the push/pull mechanism of the semicircular canals. I learned it as if one canal is depolarized, the same canal on the opposite side would hyperpolarize. So for example, if one laterally bends their head towards the L side, the L posterior canal would depolarize and the R posterior canal would hyperpolarize. However, in your lecture, it is stated that if the R posterior canal is excited, the L anterior would be inhibited. Why is this? I thought anterior canal detected flexion/ext of head.

-Best,
Alex

[Chrissy Durrough Lugge]

The push-pull mechanism is where the left and right canals *in the same plane* are excited/inhibited. As you will see on slide 2.13 in the vestibular lecture, the posterior and anterior canals are not in the same plane on the left and right.

The co-planar pairs are:
– Left and right horizontal canals
– Right posterior and left anterior canal
– Right anterior and left posterior canal

[Alex Turcios]

Thank you!

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